


Arthur King's End Game

by CJ_fics



Series: MTV Ship of the Year Marathon Fics [11]
Category: Arrow - Fandom
Genre: F/M, MTV Ship of the Year Marathon, Olicity Fic Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 12:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4391075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CJ_fics/pseuds/CJ_fics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fic prompt about Tommy Merlyn coming back to life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arthur King's End Game

Arthur King has been back in Starling City for forty-eight hours, setting up his new temporary abode and head quarters. He knew, eventually, he would have to go back to the H.I.V.E. He knew, eventually, Darkh would find him.

Arthur knew that. He didn’t care.

All he needed was three days to carry out his mission. Maybe, he thinks, once he was done, once his mortal enemy was dead, once his mortal enemy felt the way Tommy Merlyn felt in Arthur’s dreams, he would finally get some rest away from Tommy Merlyn’s memories.

For the past two years, since he found himself in a dark bunker in what he thought was the middle of nowhere, he woke to two of Tommy Merlyn’s memories: the feeling of being abandoned by his father, and witnessing Oliver carry Laurel to bed from her bedroom window. He knew what happened when they got to their destination – the eventuality of Ollie and Laurel ending up together had been one of Tommy Merlyn’s fears.

Arthur King was not Tommy Merlyn. He used to be, but not anymore. All that’s left of Tommy Merlyn was those two memories.

His father’s abandonment Arthur dealt with by becoming a bigger, meaner killer than Malcolm Merlyn. He no longer needed Malcolm – his opinion, his attention, his love, his respect – not when Tommy had Arthur now. Arthur was better than Malcolm. All Tommy needed was Arthur.

Oliver Queen’s betrayal was not as easy to get rid of. Every night, the moment he went to sleep, Tommy’s feelings of betrayal, heartache, and longing plagued his dreams. Became the stuff of Arthur King’s nightmares. Because Arthur King was not a weakling – and Tommy, witnessing the woman he loved fuck his best friend, seeing his best friend go back on his word to let Laurel go, and doing nothing about it, made him a weakling.

It was time to do something about it. Oliver Queen would have to die by Arthur King’s hand in order to bury the memory of Tommy Merlyn’s weakness.

Maybe then, I would get some peace, Arthur thinks to himself.

——————-

Tracking Queen’s movements gave Arthur insight into what he would do.

Queen was still gallivanting around as a vigilante. He now had a team that included Queen’s old bodyguard, a blonde woman with glasses, and Arthur suspects, Laurel and Thea.

At the sight of Laurel in black leather with buckles, a blonde wig and black lipstick, Arthur stopped. So, this was the woman Tommy loved, he thought.

He entertained the thought of taking Laurel to make Queen pay for his betrayal until he realised that whatever Tommy might have witnessed, those two were not together. In the field, Queen was abrupt with Laurel, treating her like a soldier and with none of the care that was reserved for a lover. Laurel was just as abrupt with Queen.

Witnessing the lack of traces of romantic regard between those two, Arthur hoped would help Tommy rest.

Arthur also knew that whatever was left of Tommy Merlyn in him would not allow him to harm Laurel Lance.

So, Arthur dismissed her as being critical to his revenge.

He tracked Queen’s residence in a loft in a rehabilitated section of the Glades. It was a booming area, with lots of hip cafes and art galleries, but it was nowhere near the lavishness that Tommy and Oliver knew and took for granted.

There, as he watched Queen exit his car and open the door for the blonde with glasses, then peck her lips flirtatiously before leading her to the entrance of their loft, Arthur realised that Queen had a different lover now. As he watched them from the rooftop opposite of their loft, cooking their dinner, opening a bottle of wine, sitting on a sofa in front of the TV, cuddling and sharing a plate of food, Arthur almost got sick to his stomach from the domesticity and sweetness of it all. As he witnessed the small touches, the hand that was always on her shoulder, thumbs caressing her collarbone, the soft gaze he had for her that almost always turned int a look of lust, and the smiles the cast each other, full of promise and adoration, Arthur shuddered.

This was not the Oliver Queen of Tommy Merlyn’s memories. Where was the bastard who vowed to never be chained? Where was the asshole who kept Laurel ‘contained’ as he gallivanted around Starling City and the rest of the United States, fucking everything with a nice rack and long legs? Where was the douchebag who cheated on Laurel with her own sister?

Arthur was almost disappointed. This was no villain. This was a man in love with a woman. This was a man committed to the woman he loves.

The woman he loves, Arthur thinks.

With a barely noticeable exhale, Arthur suddenly knows what his endgame will be.

He knew exactly how to make Queen suffer before he killed him. He knew exactly how he can quiet Tommy Merlyn’s dreams.

The blonde.

/end

**Author's Note:**

> *Arthur King is one of Merlyn the Magician’s real name in the comics. So, I thought it would be clever if Tommy came back with that identity. Which is hilarious, because Oliver Queen and Arthur King were best friends but their alter egos were mortal enemies.
> 
> ** Also, I’m largely indifferent to Tommy Merlyn (sorry, don’t kill me!), so it was a challenge writing about him. I don’t hate Tommy, I don’t. He’s just not that compelling a character for me, sorry. I hope I didn’t disappoint.
> 
> *** It would take a lot for me to continue this, so I welcome anyone, if you’re interested to continue this. I’m pretty sure you’d do a better job continuing this.  
> Original post and prompt found here: http://outoftheclosetshipper.tumblr.com/post/122859615258/prompt-from-rua1412-thanks-for-this-i-hope-you


End file.
